THE BODDIKGTON GALLOP. 407 



distance cannot slip down by train on a hunting morning, 

 nor can you there pitch your tent — unless you do so very 

 literally, for neither towns nor hunting-boxes are found near 

 the spot. Attainable indeed it is by road from various out- 

 quarters — remotest of all perhaps being the town of Bicester 

 and the home kennels. You had only to follow the master's 

 eye, looking back along the thickly-packed lane at Boddington 

 Gorse, to satisfy yourself of that. 



Boddington Gorse has been renowned throughout 1888 and 

 1889 for a veritable " Old Customer," who has shown a positive 

 passion for the sport — an affection for good country and a 

 delight in straight going — and who has seldom failed to be at 

 home to the legitimate caller. A word as to locality. The 

 Gorse is, as its name implies, a snug artificial covert. It is 

 ensconced under Boddington Hill, beneath and in front of 

 which lies an absolutely perfect valley — good enough to " carry 

 a bullock to the acre " or a hundred flying horsemen to the 

 same measurement. A mile on the right, looking downwards, 

 is the village of Wormleighton ; a mile to the left are Upper 

 and Lower Boddington ; another mile to the left is Aston Le 

 Walls, above the basin of verdure ; and yet another mile to the 



left is the wood of Red Hill. Imagine a bow. Let the string 



© © 



stretch from Wormleighton on the west, via Boddington Gorse 

 and Lower Boddington Village, to Red Hill. Then for the run 

 of the day follow the arc of the bow from Wormleighton to Red 

 Hill ; come back along the string ; and you have it as nearly 

 as possible. If you can be satisfied with a run that, with 

 everything else absolutely good, has a double point thus — 

 then Saturday's event should surely come up to your standard. 

 Further, fit an arrow to the bow if you will, and the arrow shall 

 represent the long narrow plantation, among the feathers of 

 which old Reynard was found — while the shaft constituted 

 a leading feature among the obstacles of the burst. 



Boddington Hill for the time being was as Napoleon's wind- 

 mill at Waterloo. It commanded the situation — more than 

 that, it became the centre point round which the scene revolved. 



